Cotton-chopper.



A. J. NOBLBTT.

COTTON CHOPPER.

APPLIOATIQN FILED APR.1, 1913.

1,095,224. Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 4' y AdoniramJ, Nobl if,

. I "'ATTORNEYS A. J. NOBLETT.

COTTON GHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 191a.

Patented May 5, 191% 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR W llllllllllllllllll lllHlll VI Adonz'raml Nobleiz Wl NESSESI673 @M/z/ 'AT'TORNEYS ADONIRAM J. NOBLETT, or WACO, TEXAS.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed April 1, 1913. Serial No. 758,137.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoNmAM J. NOBLETT, a. citizen of the United States,residing at WVaco, in the county of McLennan and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Choppers, ofwhich the following is a. specification.

This invention as specified relates to new and useful improvements incotton chopers.

P The object of this invention is to provide a cotton chopper of therevolving hoe type in which provision is made for laterally adjustingthe hoe shaft by a steering means whereby the hoes may be caused tofollow the contour of the row and the chopping always performed in therow and not at one side thereof.

Another feature is to provide breakable shanks for the hoes arranged toyield to obstructions through which the hoes could not pass withoutinjury, the hoes being returned to normal position after striking suchob structions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter de scribed that will be strong, durable, efficient and simpleand comparatively inexpensive to construct, also one in which theseveral parts will not be likely to get out of work ing order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has relation tocertain novel features of construction and operation, an example ofwhich is described in the following specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of a cultivator with the chopper mountedthereon, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, Fig. 8 is a de tail ofthe rack and gear, Fig. A is a detail of the transmission, Fig. 5 is adetail of the shaft and colter sleeves, Fig. 6 is another detail of thesame parts at right angles to Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a detail of one ofthe breakable shafts.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the axle of a cultivator fixedin ground wheels 2. An arch member 3 is mounted on the axle and carriesside bars A, the member 3 and bars 4: being secured together in fixedrelation in any suitable way. Certain parts of the cultivator have beenomitted from the drawing as they do not bear on the invention.

A miter gear 5 is fixed on the center of the axle 1 and meshes with amiter gear 6 fixed on the end of a universal coupling 7 The gear 6 issupported in a bearing yoke 8 which straddles the gear 5 and has thefree ends embracing the axle. A hoe shaft 9 extends forward from thecoupling 7 and carries at its forward extremity a hub 10 from which hoeshanks radiate. These shanks comprise two members 11 and 12 pivotedtogether and normally alined by a coiled spring 14. confined on a rod 15curved in an are having its center coincident with the center of thepivot between the two members. The rod of each shank has one end fixedin a lug 16 projecting from the member 11 and its other end passingfreely between the member 12, the spring bearing on the lug and themember 12. Hoes 17 are carried on the outer ends of the members 12 inproper position to chop transversely of the row when the shaft 9 isrotated. Should a hoe strike a rock, root or other hard obstruction themember 12 would yield and swing as the tension of the spring is onlysufiicient to resist such impact as would not injure the hoe. After thehoe has passed over the obstruction the spring will. return it to.normal position.

On the hoe shaft adjacent the hub 10, a sleeve 18 is loosely mounted,being free to slide forward but held against rearward movement by acollar 19 fastened 0n the shaft. At the side of the sleeve 18 a secondsleeve 20 is disposed vertically. The sleeves are pivoted together by abracket 21 secured to the sleeve 20 and pivotally supporting the sleeve18; while the sleeve 18 has a bearing boss22 engaging in a bearing inthe sleeve 20 as shown in Fig. 6. A colter shaft 23 passes verticallythrough the sleeve 20 and has a colter bracket 24: loosely confined onits lower end, a fiat faced guide wheel 25 is mounted in the bracket andis thus arranged to follow the shaft 23.

On the underside of the side bars A a pair of opposed channel members 26are secured transversely of the cultivator and over the sleeve. Ashifting plate 27 is mounted to slide transversely of the cultivator inthe channels of the members 26. The colter shaft 23 passes freelythrough an aperture in the plate and in rear thereof, a gear rack 28depends from the plate longitudinally thereof. A steering shaft 29 canries a bevel gear 30 on its forward end, said gear meshing with therack. This shaft 29 is supported in bearings 31 and 32, the formersecured to one of the members 26 and the latter mounted on the member 3.On the rear end of the shaft 29, a hand wheel is fixed. By revolvingthis wheel the shaft 29 and gear 30 are revolved where by the plate 27is shifted transversely of the machine through the agency of the rack28. When the plate is shifted the shaft 23 is likewise shiftedtransversely of the machine, the wheel following. It is apparent thatthe operator by merely turning the hand wheel may shift the colter shaftand thus swing the hoe shaft 9 and its hoes laterally, thereby followingthe contour of the row and always chopping in the row, the wheel 25acting as a guide and a suport. p In order to hold the shaft 23 inproper vertical position, a collar 34 is placed on the same and supportsthe sleeve 20, the shaft 23 passing loosely through the sleeve. Thiscollar is carried by the lower ends of brace members 35 having theirupper ends secured to the under side ofthe plate 27 as is best shown inFig. 3, a rigid brace thus being formed for the shaft 23. The shaft 23is free to be moved vertically and has adjustably secured thereon acollar 36 which bears on the upper end of the sleeve 20 and limits thedownward displacement of the shaft 23.

A bracket 37 depends from the rear channel member 26 and supports abell-crank lever 38. The forward extremity of the lever: is looselyconfined in the upper slotted end of a link 39 as is best shown in Fig.2. The link has its lower end pivoted to the sleeve 20. A rod 10 extendsfrom the upper end of the bell-crank lever to the lower'end of anelevating lever 41 pivoted on one of the side bars 4: and engaging withthe usual quadrant mechanism 12 whereby it may be fastened in adjustedpositions. By swinging the lever 41 the bell-crank lever 28 is swung andthe hoe shaft 9 and colter shaft 23 either raised or lowered accordingto the direction in which the lever 41 is swung.

It is apparent that the chopping depth I may be controlled and the hoesmaintained Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner over the row irrespective of its irregularcontour.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a cotton chopper, the combination with a frame, and a revolvingaxle supported in ground wheels, of a hoe shaft, a driving gearingconnection with the axle, a universal coupling between the gearing andthe shaft, hoes radially supported at the free end of the shaft, and aslidable member carried by the frame and having connection with the hoeshaft, a vertical shaft passing through the member and associated withthe hoe shaft, a follower guide wheel mounted on the vertical shaftbelow the hoe shaft, and means for shifting the slidable membertransversely of the frame.

2. In a cotton chopper, the combination with a frame, and a revolvingaxle supported in ground wheels, of a hoe shaft, a driving gearingconnected with the axle, a universal coupling between the gearing andthe shaft, hoes radially supported at the free end of the shaft, avertical shaft, sleeves on both shafts pivoted together, a shiftingplate slidably mounted on the frame, a connection between the plate andthe vertical shaft at a point adjacent the sleeves, a steering deviceconnected with the plate and a follower wheel mounted on the lower endof the vertical shaft.

3. In a cotton chopper, the combination of a wheel supported frame, adrivingn'lechanism mounted on the frame, a central longitudinal hoeshaft, a universal conncctimi between the shaft and the drivingmechanism, a plurality of hoes fixed on the forward extremity of theshaft, a wheeled support connected to the shaft adjacent the hoes, meansfor adjusting the hoe shaft and the wheeled support vertically withrelation to the frame, and means for adjusting the hoe shaft and wheeledsupport laterally with relation to the frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thePFC-$161106 of two subscribing witnesses.

ADONIRAM J. NOBLETT.

Witnesses:

E. B. DANIEL, I. W. CRALoLL.

of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

